10+ Things To Do At Cheesman Park
With such a vast amount of space, you can count the number of things to do at Cheeseman Park on both hands…and toes!
While you’re sitting at home on a beautiful weekend day, you’re probably hoping to get outside and enjoy the weather with some friends or by diving into a captivating book. What better way to spend that day than at a park? So here are some things to do at Cheesman Park.
|Brief History|
Cheesman Park is one of the most prolific parks in Denver and its history emphasizes why it’s such an attraction for locals of the area. In 1858 “Cheesman Park” was formed – but at the time, it was a cemetery!
It also wasn’t yet called Cheesman Park, but rather Mount Prospect Cemetery. Once the cemetery was formed, the federal government claimed that the land was to be always considered cemetery land. However, after some persuasion of Congress by the City of Denver, in the late 1800s, it later became known as Congress Park.
Being a new park, some things needed to change. While attempting to move the 5,000+ caskets, the project wasn’t handled correctly and was never finished. It wasn’t until the early 1900s when a benefactor by the name of Walter Scott Cheesman donated $100,000 to make the park more beautiful.
You can read more about the history of Cheesman Park here.
It’s often difficult to come up with a reason to get out of the house or find an event that multiple people can participate in, so we made a list of things to do at Cheesman Park while you’re there.
The list includes activities centered around:
- Games and Sports
- Books
- Group Events
- Monuments and Landmarks
- Relaxation
Activities at Cheesman Park
A wide range of activities is another attraction for one of Denver’s most popular parks. Anything from Bocce Ball, to reading a book, to painting a scene on a canvas. Let’s dissect some of what Denver locals like to do the most.
Games and Sports
As soon as you arrive at Cheesman Park, you’ll notice that it spans over the horizon. In every corner of the park, you’ll find a group of people playing some sort of game or sport. On top of the competitive ultimate frisbee leagues that happen all around Denver, you can find casual frisbee players on the weekends looking to sling a disc with a beer in hand.
Volleyball is another huge sport that you can find people playing at Cheesman Park. Get a group of four people and randomly walk onto a court, I guarantee you can have the next game. The people are very inviting when it comes to playing outdoor sports at the park.
Football and Soccer aren’t too common in the park. However, I’ve been a part of a couple of games of toss or one-on-ones. Because there aren’t any white lines painted on the grass to outline a field, one of the best ways to have fun with a soccer ball is to juggle it and see how many you and your friends can get.
Playing games and sports remains at the top of the list of some of the best things to do at Cheesman Park. Honorable mentions for games and sports at this park: Bocce Ball, Spikeball, Kan Jam, and Lacrosse.
Books
If reading into the history of Cheesman Park intrigued you, I’m sure you’re one of the people who find that reading books might be one of the best things to do at Cheesman Park. You wouldn’t be the only one – there are numerous people laying on blankets around the park diving into books that are as big as the dictionary!
Some book recommendations that we have for you to read outside: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan, Greenwood by Michael Christie, The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Nature and Selected Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips.
Group Events
This one is rather vague because you can do essentially anything as a group. However, to highlight some specific group events, we made this section.
The fourth of July was not too long ago and throughout the park were overwhelming smells of burgers and hotdogs being cooked on grills. Groups of people were lining up to put the fixings on top for their perfect burger.
Youth group events are alive all over the park. Leaders shout with megaphones to gain the attention of children fueled up on sugar. In the pavilion, you can find professionals hosting work events.
Sleep/Relax
One of the best things to do at Cheesman park, and an activity that you’ll see so many people doing is simply sleeping or lounging. The collection of dogs barking, people laughing, cars honking, music playing, and wind blowing creates a sort of white noise that encourages relaxation.
On a nicer day, when the sun isn’t destroying the surface of the earth with its rays, it will provide a nice blanket of warmth from a small breeze that might be flowing through the park.
How to prepare for Cheesman Park
- Pack plenty of water
- Add sunscreen
- Pack snacks
- Bring alcohol/beverages
- Bring a blanket
- Find shade
- Bring a speaker
A day or even a couple of hours at Cheesman can take a toll on your body. The key to making sure you make it through, especially on a hot or crowded day is to be prepared.
When planning your trip to Cheesman Park, make sure you pack plenty of water. There is a lack of tree coverage at the park and if you get there later in the day, the odds that you’ll be able to find one to sit under are very slim. Being in the heat all day, even if it doesn’t feel like you’re sweating or losing water, will cause dehydration and could lead to even more serious complications.
On top of needing a lot of water while you’re baking in the sun, you’ll want to add sunscreen to your list of items. Similar to the lack of shade causing dehydration, it will cause your skin to burn.
If you and your friends plan on using the whole day, you’ll want to pack snacks. Although there are small shops sprinkled around the perimeter of the park, you don’t want to have to interrupt your day in order to walk and grab a bite to eat. Make sure you bring a cooler with hot and cold snacks to keep your activities going!
If you’re of the age, alcohol is a great item to bring to your next Cheesman Park hangout session. The idea behind this is to have a great time, get a little tipsy while it’s still light out, and drink in a different environment. The NUMBER ONE thing that everyone needs to remember is to pick up trash. Leave the park better than how you found it – otherwise, the ghosts and ghouls will haunt you.
There’s a certain level of comfort that I try to uphold when I spend time at the park. That level of comfort doesn’t get met unless I bring a blanket with me. Don’t spend hours scratching your arms and legs because the irritation from the grass caught you off guard. Bring a blanket to set your things on or wrap yourself in on a crisp day.
To counter your dehydration and sunburn, find shade. Whether you bring an awning or tent, or you get to the park early enough to find a tree, your ideal day at the park involved shade. The difference between a good day at the park and a fantastic day at the park is a nice, shady break from activities.
This is one of the most controversial topics for park-goers. Bringing a speaker to the park so you can listen to music is a decision that you must make with experience. However, it’s common sense to know that you shouldn’t play the music too loud. You can go to the park to hear the birds chirp and the wind blow, or you can bring a speaker to play your music – just remember to be respectful.
Check out some additional resources for folks in Denver:
